Flaws In Preparing Children With Disability For Life After Institutional Care In Zimbabwe: Implications For Social Work Practice

Abstract

This paper identified the flaws in preparing children with disabilities for life after institutional care in Zimbabwe. With the utility of a qualitative paradigm and a phenomenology research design, the study discovered that institutions of care have limited choices for vocational skills training courses due to financial paucity. The paucity of financial resources has also been found to compromise the effectiveness of preparing children with disabilities for life after institutional care. The findings revealed that there are also inherent systemic weaknesses and loopholes in the design of care plans which cast a shadow of confusion on the re-integration process. Limited family support and involvement were also found to weaken the acceptability and simulation of these children into the community. Underpinned by a social model of disability and social work lenses, the study recommended immense advocacy for the participation of children with disabilities together with their families in the preparation of care plans to ensure inclusion and sustainable reintegration. Furthermore, the paper pushes for closer monitoring and evaluation of institutional care facilities to guarantee alignment and compliance of care plans with national policy frameworks that guide the placement and reintegration of youth with disabilities back into the community.